Float for hydroplanes



A 27,-1929- J. VAN DE PUTTE 1,725,890

FLOAT FOR HYDROPLANBS Filed March 14, 1928 2' Sheets -Sheet l Aug. 27, 1929. J. VAN DE PUTTE 1,725,890

FLOAT FOR HYDROPLANES Filed March 14, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Q 1! Ti I Q z I j .6 5 I Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Application filed larch 14, 1928, Serial No. 281,460, and in Belgium March 18, 1927.

The present invention is relative to a floating apparatus for h droplanes consistin of tubular floats divided in water-tight ce s, the length and location of said floats giving to the hydroplane very wide-a art supporting points, ensuring thus its stab hty on the waves; the apparatus is conceived with the triple view of allowing hydroplanes to. stand the sea by any weather, of allowing the water-tightness of the floats to be controlled and their damages to be re-' aired at sea, and also of facilitating the1r flying ofl. I

These floats are in the shape of cylinders divided in water-tight and interchangeable cells.- They can be of varying section and length, according to the weight of the plane, but should generally be .fixed per pairs.

Two of these tubular floats may be sufiicient, but more often four of them will be used, allowing thus the supporting points to be still furthera art by arranging the floats in a staggered isposition.

In view of examining and repairing the 2 floats at sea, these tubular floats must be capable of bein lifted up out of the water, an operation w ich will be rendered easier if these floats are built of two pieces assembled by a collar. The construction of these wooden or metallic floats either in one ortwo pieces is simple and the absolute water-tightness on the1r whole len th is ensured.

The floatin erally be in t eir middle horizontal lane; consequently, if, for instance, their cu ature is 4 m.*, i. e. 4000 kgr. burden, these floats will be capable of supporting a plane of 2000 kgr.

As to the practical results of this floatin device, these can be easily explained: indee by rough sea, the plane, like an other nautical apparatus, can only stan by heading the wind and the result of this is that the 45 foremost cylinders will 1part1 penetrate into the coming wave, wil slig tly lift the forepart of the apparatus, thus gradually, increasing the angle of the wings; the whole will then be lifted up by the action of the inc of these floats will gen-' 7 these figu wind on the win and will pass -on the wave in a long un ulating movement.

In-the same circumstances,,a hydroplane w tha hull without floats would be immediately lifted u by the action of the wave to an angle whic might reach and, the incident angle of its wings thus suddenly increasing, the plane would crest and trou h, only avoiding the turning over tha s to an elongated body and to its horizontal rudder.

By'placing the float-cylinders'at judicious intervals, the same result will be obtained for the lateral attack of the wave, so that the pitching and rolling will be considerably reduced.

For the fl ing off, which must also be done by hea ing into the wind, this advantage of relative stability will also be greatly increased by the advancing of the plane which will glide on the crest of the waves. The accompanyin drawings illustrate, by way of an examp e, the floating device applied to a plane:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a plane provided with floats;

Fig. 2 is a lan viewof same;

fl Fig. 3 is a ongitudinal section through a oat;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the same float; a

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a float built in two pieces assembled by a collar;

Fig. 6 is a view of a float and its framework, part of the float having been lifted;

Fig. 7 is an end view illustrating a means of attaching a float to its support;

Fig. 8 is a section through the support along A-'B of Fig. 7.

Referring to the example illustrated on res, it will be seen that the plane is provided with four floats, of which the two middle ones 1' are placed further back than the two side ones 1. These floats have the shape of long, slender cylinders of reduced section, and in the case inwhichwood is used as principal material, two identical shells in light wood make up the stem and the stern 5; they are connected to each other by four small boards 4, screwedton the pieces forming intermediate artitlons 3, also in light wood; endly, a cylindrical covcring 6 in red pine or cedar engaging partly on the stem and the stern finishes the floating element.

The float can be made in two pieces uxtaposed by their s'terns, which will be, in this case, formed of partition members of increased thickness.

According to this means of building the tubular float, this float is divided in a certain number of water-tight cells 2. The float is preferably formed of two pieces 1 and 1", as shown on Fig. 5, these two pieces being assembled by a collar 7 As two sup ports are needed for an entire float and four of them for floats in two pieces, number and subdivision which are generally used, sixteen supports will be necessary for a plane with four floats; these supports can thus be made very light. The frame-work connecting the floats to the plane will be made of tubes or U-bars for the supports 10, and angle-bars for the longitudinal bars 8 connecting the supports to each other. Moreover, these supports will be formed with two telescopic pieces 9 and 10 allowing an entire float or half a float to be lifted out of the water, in view of examining or repairing it.

As to the float itself, it is encircled by two half collars l2 and 12", which can be loosened, showing thus how a float can be turned about its axis with a View of examining, emptying or repairing it.

A loop-hole 11 is fixed to the half collar 12 and the rope 13 serving to lift up the float is passed through said loop-hole.

As can be seen, the supporting device will allow the body tobe easily lifted out of reach of the waves and will permit the members of the wings to be lightened while gt the same time consolidating these memers.

The improvements described will allow the body of the plane to be lifted higher than usual, will allow planes to stand the sea by any rough weather, the damages to be repaired at sea, and the flying off to be facilitated.

This apparatus can of course be applied to planes alighting both on the ground and on the water, by the addition of landing wheels.

Of course, the means of realizing the invention which have just been described only constitute an example, the dimensions and divisions of. the tubular floats and the framework and lifting up device of these floats can be varied, without going out of the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a hydroplane, the application of floats, having a substantially greater length than the hydroplane and a slender tubular shape, and each formed of two cup-shaped end pieces, boards connecting said end pieces to each other, partitions adapted to divide the float in water-tight cells and to which said boards are attached and a waterproof .covering surrounding on their whole length said small boards and overlapping said end pieces.

2. In a hydroplane, a plurality of floats parallelly arranged at a substantially great distance from one another under-the plane and having a substantially greater length than the plane and a slender tubular shape, a number of floats being offset in relation to the others, each float being formed of two cup-shaped end pieces, boards connecting said end pieces to eachother, partitions adapted to divide the float in water tight cells and to which said boards are attached and a waterproof covering surrounding on their whole length said small boards and overlapping said end pieces.

3. In a ydroplane, floats having a substantially greater length than the hydroplane and a slender tubular shape, each formed of two cup-shaped end pieces, boards connecting said end pieces to each other, partitions adapted to divide the float in water-tight cells and to which said boards are attached and a waterproof covering surrounding on their Whole length said small boards and overlapping said end pieces, and means to support said floats and to lift one of them out of the water when the plane is resting on water. I

4. In a hydroplane, floats having a substantially greater length than the hydroplane and a slender tubular shape, each float consisting of two independent parts, each part comprising a cup-shaped end piece, a flat end piece, narrow boards connecting said end pieces to each other, partitions adapted to divide the float pieces in water-tight cells and to which said boards are attached and a waterproof covering surrounding said boards on their whole length and overlapping said end pieces, and a collar adapted to snugly surround the two abutting flat end pieces, and means to support said floats and to lift one of said independent parts of a float out of the water when the plane is resting on water.

5. In a hydroplane, floats having a substantially greater length than the hydroplane and a slender tubular shape, each float consisting of two independent parts, each part comprising a cup-shaped end piece, a flat end piece, narrow boards connecting said end pieces to each other, partitions adapted to divide the float pieces in water-tight cells and to which said boards are attached and a waterproof covering surrounding said boards on their whole length and overlap-' ping said end pieces, and a collar adapted to snugly surround the two abutting flat end pieces, and a supporting device for said floats comprising telescopic parts, collars fitted at the end of said telescopic parts and adapted to surround said independent parts 5 of the floats, the arrangement being such that the floats can be turned about their longitudinal axis and the latter inclined upon the horizontal plane, and means to telescope said telescopic parts and thereby lift said independent parts out of the water when the 10 plane is resting on Water.

In testimony whereof I signed hereunto my name.

JEAN VAN DE PUTTE. 

